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Cosmetics Safety Series - Part 3: Why it's Time for Personal Care Products to Go on Sale
On BPA: How Risky? How Much Concern? When to Act?
New study links low-level lead exposures to kidney damage in kids
Rachel Carson: The woman behind the book
SEARCH ENVIROBLOG
FEATURED
Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?
Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure
Infant formula: How to choose it & use it
EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series
EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure
Let's talk some serious shop about TSCA reform
EWG on TV
Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill
Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water
Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen
BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics
What can I do about fluoride in my water?
What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?
Are stainless steel water bottles safe?
Is mineral-based makeup safer?
PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS
TALK TO US
Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.
4 steps to drinking safer water
- Bottled water (skip it),
- Our water supply (don't frack it), and
- Tap water (filter it).
To help you drink safer water at home and on the go, we rolled up all this drinking water information and guidance in one place.
You can learn to drink safer water in 4 easy steps from our Healthy Home Tip:
- Identify the contaminants in your home tap water (use our searchable database),
- Find a filter that works (use our online guide),
- Skip the bottled water (it's expensive and the quality is not clear), and
- Choose safer reusable water bottles (they're out there!).
Get -- and share -- EWG's 1-page Safe Drinking Water Guide. It'll do your body good.
LEARN MORE about our Healthy Home Tip series and sign up to get the monthly tips in your inbox.
3,163 ingredients hide behind the word "fragrance"
By Lisa Frack with Becky Sutton
Enviroblog readers all know that "fragrance" is a term that the cosmetics, cleaning and candle industries use on ingredient lists that discloses only that there are unnamed chemicals in the product.
Which is not so helpful for avid label-readers (like me) who want and deserve full information when choosing products. Unless you use it as a red flag of what not to buy, that is. Then - and only then - is it helpful.
It's pretty big news that, after years of intentional mystery, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) decided to publish an alphabetical list of ingredients that its members reportedly use to make consumer products.
Why'd they do it?
Simple: consumers want more transparency (yes, you're being heard!). And while this isn't exactly the kind of transparency we had in mind, or that helps consumers make informed decisions about their health, it's a step. (And it's a decent PR move for IFRA, right?)
A long list with some bad actors
A long list of chemicals that you can't pronounce is not in itself toxic - even if it looks it. But an analysis of these 3,163 chemicals in EWG's Cosmetics Database shows that there is reason for concern.
In fact, 1 in 20 earned a "high" hazard score (7-10 of 10), and a full 1 in 6 rated at least a "moderate" hazard score (3-10 of 10). 26 of them scored a 10, the highest score:
26 chemicals scored a "10" in Skin Deep
Aniline
BHA
Cyclohexanone
Dibutyl phthalate
Diethylhexyl phthalate
Hydroquinone
MIBK
Musk ambrette
Nano titanium dioxide
Nano zinc oxide (20-60nm)
Octoxynol-6
Octoxynol-7
Octoxynol-11
Octoxynol-12
Octoxynol-13
Octoxynol-16
Octoxynol-20
Octoxynol-25
Octoxynol-30
Octoxynol-33
Octoxynol-40
Octoxynol-70
PEG-3 Sorbitan oleate
PEG-6 Sorbitan oleate
Resorcinol
Styrene
Some chemicals on the list are very troubling
Of the 3,163 chemicals listed, several stand out as particularly toxic: phthalates, octoxynols and nonoxynols, and musk ambrette. Phthalates are potent hormone disruptors linked to reproductive system birth defects in baby boys. Octoxynols and nonoxynols break down into persistent hormone disruptors, as well.
Musk ambrette is toxic to the brain, testes, and skin. The European Union banned musk ambrette from body care products, and IFRA itself says the chemical should not be used in products applied to the skin. But according to IFRA's own list, it is still in use in some fragrances.
What kind of products contain these chemicals?
All kinds. To name several: facial cleanser, after shave, astringents, hair color, cleaning products, and acne treatment.
The best way to reduce your exposure to fragrance chemicals
While this new information adds to our knowledge about fragrance chemicals, it doesn't change our longstanding advice for choosing safer cosmetics: read the label, skip the fragrance, and look up your products in EWG's Cosmetics Database.
[Thanks to Flickr CC & Annieo76 for the lovely array of perfumes]
The new crop of eco-films: Which should you see?
With green being the new black, there are more than a few environmental documentaries to choose from when popping that (not-in-the-microwave) popcorn.
To help you navigate the choices, EWG's very own Don Carr, press secretary and hard-hitting ag policy blogger, offers guidance on which to see. He screened them himself at this year's Sundance Film Festival to boil it down for us on Grist (trailers included). On my list are the ones Don highlights as "well-crafted, compelling films that address crucial environmental themes not yet in the public consciousness."
So find the film(s) for you and turn on the stove to start popping corn the old-fashioned way.
About that movie popcorn...
If you're ready to learn more and reduce your exposure to the perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) that line popcorn and other fast-food wrappers (among other things), get EWG's Guide to PFCs.
212 weeks ago the Carnival of the Green began over a pint of beer in London. Now it bounces from green blog to green blog, week after week, around the world. From EcoJoe's last week right here to EWG's Enviroblog.
At EWG, we dish out a lot of (very useful, practical, science-based!) advice on how to live with fewer toxics, so it comes naturally to present this week's Carnival posts as suggestions on different ways to live green - from a host of green bloggers 'round the globe.
You can choose from one of these 14 green living ideas today (more, of course, if you're feeling gung-ho):
1. Dave suggests: Be polite when sharing your environmental zeal. No fair being scary.
An aggressive note from a neighbor having to do with the weekly trash, a dead bear, and getting sent back to the east coast. [Enviroblog: Let's hear it for the neighbors!]
2. Jess suggests: Don't drag them kicking and screaming to greenness.
Studies indicate that one of the most effective ways to change behavior is to change the default option of any given choice. On Changing Behavior explores how this aspect of behavioral psychology can be a tool for building a more sustainable world. [Enviroblog: Anything to make it easier!]
3. Beth suggests: Skip the plastic Valentine's madness.
Help! The shelves of Walgreen's are spilling over with fake plastic Valentine's gifts, and I just can't decide with one to buy! How will my sweetie know how much I care if I don't spend money on cheap plastic crap for him? [Enviroblog: Excellent array of red & pink plastic goodies, Beth]
4. Erin suggests: Cook some vegetarian chili for meatless Monday.
The kitchen is usually my domain, and I have a hard time giving up control. But my non-vegetarian husband and I have had an agreement since the early days of our marriage that if he wants to eat meat for dinner, he gets to cook it himself. [Enviroblog: Conquering climate change in the kitchen ain't a bad idea at all]
5. Annette suggests: Use your dusty phone books for something.
Something crafty. Until the phone company stops sending us phone books that hit the shelf and never leave, get creative. [Enviroblog: The coffee table is a personal fave]
6. Sally suggests: Improve youngster's eyesight with natural daylight.
Nearsightedness has increased 66% in the last 30 years. New research shows that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop nearsightedness. So, using natural daylight to illuminate classrooms may not only save energy & money and reduce our carbon footprint, but could also improve our children's vision. [Enviroblog: Guess the basement preschool is out]
7. Jessica suggests: Wear green, not white, to your wedding.
The first thing when considering a green wedding is the number of guests. Only invite those who are closest and mean the most to you. The more guests you invite, the more that will travel, consume food and waste materials. [Enviroblog: Elope, anyone?]
8. Renee suggests: Understand and use mushroom compost.
Mushroom compost is actually the compost that mushroom growers make in which to grow mushrooms. What you buy is the by-product of this growing process after the mushrooms are harvested. [Enviroblog: Thinking this is different than me tossing mushroom stems in my backyard compost]
9. Tania suggests: Use cloth diapers. They're good lookin' these days.
Gone are the flat white prefolds, pins and plastic pants of the baby boomer generation. In are creations that are easy to use, come in a variety of styles, colors and prints, which appeal on a whole new level. Who knew you could dress your baby's bottom in pink and purple leopard print diaper? [Enviroblog: Indeed.]
10. June suggests: Lower your utility bill with new appliances.
We've recently found out how successful our plan was to replace a couple of ailing appliances that we inherited from the former owners of our home. Some couple of decades old, one appliance was our standard white fridge and the other was our groaning washer. [Enviroblog: The ol' spend $ to save $]
11. Case suggests: Pick furniture made from reclaimed wood.
The green movement has taken over the furniture industry. Most people are surprised to learn that green furniture can be made of wood. Sure, there is the recycled material made from bottles and cans. For those who love the look of real wood, there are two options: reclaimed or sustainable wood. [Enviroblog: Real treehugging!]
12. Marie suggests: Hit the streets for the environment (the student way)!
My school had the opportunity to ask questions with David Suzuki on a skype interview. A brief summary of his thoughts are included, and a call to action this Earth Day, the 40th anniversary of the first. Can we get millions of people on the street again? [Enviroblog: Will it help?]
13. The Smarter Wallet suggests: Get that hybrid car, even if gas prices are down.
Two important trends: One, Detroit and other manufacturers are finally getting the message that less is better, and two, American consumers are decidedly moving in greater numbers to smaller, more efficient cars and trucks as their desire to save money on gas remains a strong priority.
14. Alex says: Question Monsanto - and Forbes. Clearly, the only criterion Forbes magazine uses when determining which U.S. corporation wins its yearly "Company of the Year" title must be profit. That's the only way to explain how a company as notorious as Monsanto could possibly get the nod for 2009 from the mag, which proclaims itself "The Capitalist Tool." [Enviroblog: Yes, this is from EWG's very own Ag Mag]
You'll find next week's Carnival on The Fun Times Guide. Check it out.
Cosmetics Safety Series - Part 3: Why it's Time for Personal Care Products to Go on Sale
This classic line refers, of course, to the lengths to which we go for "beauty." As a second-grader, having sore arms after 35 minutes of setting curlers was a steep bounty for the temporary effect. Today it's clear that there are bigger stakes - our health and that of our children and our environment - and these stakes are just too high.We need safer personal care products. Here's why:
They contain toxic chemicals that affect our health.
- Phthalates are most commonly used for softening plastics. When it comes to their use in personal care products, they are a regular ingredient in fragrance and moisturizing beads. A 2008 report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics brought the good news that companies are using less phthalates. However, until they're officially banned - they'll remain an ingredient of top concern due to their association with hormone disruption.
- Parabens are preservatives found in products with higher water content (think shampoo, conditioner, and lotion). They have also been found in breast cancer tumors, as they are another notorious hormone disruptor. Play it safe, and skip products using ingredients ending in - "paraben."
- Heavy metals - We took lead out of house paint over 30 years ago, so why is it still in lipstick? The FDA found lead in 100% of lipstick samples they tested. Arsenic, mercury and zinc are other heavy metals known to be in body care products. While some of these, such as zinc, are necessary in small amounts for the body, higher doses can lead to a variety of health effects. Lead and mercury are both known neurotoxins.Lets not forget that we have found all of these chemicals in people through biomonitoring studies, so not only are they in our products but they are in our bodies too.
- Immediate reactions - Allergies, contact dermatitis, asthma, migraines... they are all common reactions to ingredients in personal care products. Remember when a bank was evacuated in Ft. Worth, TX last summer because of someone's perfume?
- Long-term consequences - What can be more frightening is what we don't see happen immediately after using these products. Cancer, endocrine disruption, and nervous system damage are some of the reported health effects of exposure to the ingredients in cosmetics products. This recent New York Time's article on skin lighteners is a good example.
- Unstudied risks of unstudied ingredients - Recall our conversation a few weeks ago about the ingredient data gap? Until we know the effects of these ingredients AND the effects of combining these ingredients, day in and day out, we're still playing a game of chemical roulette with our personal care products
This is part of our "Not in My Cosmetics" series. The first two posts are here and here.
[Thanks to Flickr CC and Orin Zebest for the photo "Staring At It."]
On BPA: How Risky? How Much Concern? When to Act?
Special to Enviroblog by Elizabeth Grossman, who writes about environmental and science issues from Portland, Oregon and is author, most recently of Chasing Molecules.
On January 22, in a substantial shift in policy, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has "some concern" about the health effects of bishphenol A (BPA), particularly on infants and children. While not currently advocating regulation, the FDA is proposing steps that could lead to restrictions.
"We need to know more," said FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg during a press conference. But "as a precaution," the FDA has issued recommendations for reducing exposure.
This contrasts markedly with the FDA's 2008 assessment that declared of BPA use safe in consumer products, including for infants and children. It also aligns FDA's views with those of the National Toxicology Program and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Bisphenol A is the chemical building block of polycarbonate plastics. In use since the 1950s, polycarbonates go into countless consumer products, including baby bottles, sippy cups, food containers, dishware, appliances, electronics, shatterproof lenses, and sports gear. BPA also makes the epoxy resins that line most food and beverage cans, and jar lids. BPA has numerous additional applications, including dental sealants. It is used so widely that scientists consider exposure ubiquitous and continuous.
"We know that trace amounts of BPA can be found in these [food] containers," said William Corr, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. "Recent reports of subtle effects of low doses of BPA on lab animals has raised concerns," said Corr, "that we need to take a closer look at."
It's well documented that as these plastics age, are heated, or are used with acidic or alkali liquids - from certain vegetables, fruits or detergents, for example - BPA can leach out of finished products. Biomonitoring studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control has found BPA in over 90% of Americans tested. Studies published in 2009 found BPA in newborns' umbilical cord blood and in 75% of the infants being cared for in a hospital's neonatal unit.
Concern arises because BPA is known to be an endocrine disrupting chemical. In numerous animal studies BPA has been shown to interfere with hormones that regulate reproduction, development, metabolism, and behavior.
"There are critical periods of development when exposure to BPA may lead to certain health effects, including behavioral effects, diabetes, reproductive disorders, development of certain kinds of cancers, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and effects that can go from one generation to the next," explained Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Although hundreds of published studies now document such effects, they remain controversial from a regulatory perspective in part because low-dose effects challenge traditional dose-equals-poison tenets of toxicology. Birnbaum and Corr cited the need for more research to determine the human health effects of BPA. To this end the NIEHS recently announced $30 million to fund new BPA studies.
In the FDA's announcement, Deputy Commissioner Josh Sharfstein said the agency would like to move BPA into a new regulatory framework that would allow the agency to respond quickly if it feels more research or regulation is required. "We would like to have a more robust framework for regulating BPA if and when necessary," said FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.
In response, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the trade association representing bisphenol A manufacturers, noted the lack of definitive proof of BPA's harm to human health. "While ACC recognizes that HHS and FDA are attempting to address public confusion about BPA we are disappointed that some of the recommendations are likely to worry consumers and are not well-founded," said the ACC.
THE FDA announcement came on a busy week for BPA news. A new study released on January 13th confirmed findings of a previous Journal of the American Medical Association paper showing an association between bisphenol A exposure and cardiovascular disease. Analyzing data from the CDC's biomonitoring studies, researchers in the U.K. found that individuals with the highest BPA exposure had a 40 to 50% higher reported incidence of heart disease.
While this study does not prove BPA can cause heart disease, explains co-author Tamara Galloway, professor of ecotoxicology at of the University of Exeter, it shows that coincidence of exposure and cardiovascular disease is not "a statistical blip." Galloway and other researchers point out that the study only examines a "snapshot" and more information is needed to produce a comprehensive picture. But, says Galloway, "It adds a lot of realism" to earlier findings and underscores the need for further research.
Despite its limitations this study does begin to suggest that BPA may be a "systemic toxicant" - one that can adversely affect a broad range of vital body systems, says Bruce Lanphear professor of children's health at Simon Fraser University.
When a pattern of toxicity begins to emerge, says Lanphear, "We have two options as a society. We can wait until we're swamped by the evidence to decide if we should allow continued use or we can act without waiting for crises."
Such decisions are now before state legislators in Washington and Oregon considering bills that would restrict the use of BPA in children's products. Connecticut, Maine, Chicago and Suffolk County, New York have adopted such legislation. Many other states have introduced comparable bills, and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) has introduced federal legislation that would restrict BPA in all food containers.
In hearings held in Olympia and Salem on January 11 and 13th, ACC representative Steve Hentges, told legislators that BPA "is not a risk to human health, including infants and children" and questioned the need for legislative action "given intense ongoing federal regulatory agency review."
At the Oregon hearing, North American Metal Packaging Alliance representative William Hoyle, described BPA epoxy resins as vital to food safety, stressing that viable, reliable alternatives are unavailable. Some alternatives do exist, however, and are being used by U.S. and Japanese manufacturers.
On Friday the FDA announced it would actively support research and development of BPA alternatives. "We will facilitate the development of alternatives, particularly for infant formula and food can liners," said Commissioner Hamburg.
Meanwhile, manufacturers are not waiting for regulation. The six baby bottle manufacturers, representing most of the U.S. market are already phasing out their BPA-based products. Meanwhile, major retailers, including Wal-Mart and Target, are offering increasing numbers of alternatives.
For now, it's largely up to consumers to decide whether or not they feel comfortable using BPA products. The FDA does not recommend families change what or how they feed their babies, but it does recommend reducing BPA exposure by using alternative baby bottles.
The FDA's January 15 BPA recommendations are open to public comment for 60 days. Timing was not specified but the FDA does plan to update its formal 2008 assessment. A "chemical action plan" on BPA is also expected from the EPA.
New study links low-level lead exposures to kidney damage in kids
When I was a kid, there was lead in paint and gasoline (which could explain a lot...). Thankfully, both uses were stopped in 1978 and 1996, respectively. As a result, blood lead levels (the way human contamination is measured) have dropped dramatically, and American kids today are far less likely to be exposed to the toxic metal.
But old paint lasts - and is a real problem in dilapidated, pre-1978 housing where dust is contaminated, old paint chips find their way into baby and toddler mouths, and rehab work must be done v-e-r-y carefully. There are other sources of personal lead pollution, including glazed pottery, artificial turf (!), and some tap water pipes (you can - and should - get your water tested).
As a result of these ongoing exposures, (primarily low-income) kids still get lead in their bodies. And even at low levels, a new peer-reviewed study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found kidney damage in teenagers that they warn could lead to kidney disease later in life.
High-level lead exposure is a known risk for kidney disease. This study's authors sought to better understand the effects of low-level exposures, and found evidence that kids with blood lead levels (aka "BLLs") as low as 2.9 micrograms - 7.1 below the federal "safe" limit - showed signs of damaged, slower-functioning kidneys. As the report authors concluded,
This finding contributes to the increasing epidemiologic evidence indicating an adverse effect of low-level environmental lead exposure.
As we've been saying here at EWG for years: low doses matter.
Take steps to reduce children's exposures
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has some simple but important steps for preventing exposure to lead. If you have children in the house or work with them, preventing their exposure to lead is a very important step to promote their environmental health.
[Thanks to Flickr CC & Abby Lanes for the chipping paint]
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